Folding table with spring leaf lock



Sept .155. 1954 TR FOLDING TABLE WITH SPRING LEAF LOCK Filed May 3, 1952 IN V EN TOR.

Patented Sept. 28, 1954 UNITED STATES PAT G 'FFF ICE FOLDING TABLE WITH SPRING LEAF LOCK Alfred A-Troyke, Amelia, 'Ohio Appticaztion May :3, 1952, 'SeriaLNc. 12,85,854

1 This invention relates to folding t bl and more particularly, to folding tables that can be stored as a group in a :cabinet and to acabinet for storing same.

An object of this invention is itO provide .a .folding table having cantilever-mounted springs for holding the legs in an .uprightor table top :sup-

porting position.

A further object .of this invention is to :pro-

v'ide .means :for adjusting such springs :so that the legs firmly held in table top supporting position.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will :in part .be apparent .and will in part be obvious from the following detailed description, and the drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a table constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, the legs of the table being folded fiat against the top thereof;

Fig. 2 is a view in lengthwise section of the table showing the legs in raised position;

Fig. 3 is a view in section taken along a line III--III of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view in section showing details of the leg holding mechanism of the table; and

Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing a cabinet for storing tables with tables stored therein.

In the following detailed description, and the drawing, like reference characters indicate like parts.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, a table In constructed in accordance with an embodiment of this invention, includes a table top H and folding legs I2. Top ll may be fiat and rectangular in shape. A downwardly projecting peripheral or border flange I3 is attached to the under side of table top H. The flange I3 receives hinge pins M by means of which the legs 12 and leg connecting cross members [6 are hinged to the under side of the table top at opposite ends thereof. Each cross member l6 carries a pair of legs [2. The legs swing with the cross members from a folded position shown in Fig. 1, to an upright or table top supporting position shown in full lines in Fig. 2. When each pair of the legs is in upright or table top supporting position, the cross member [6 attached thereto is in engagement with flange [3. The flange l3 limits the distance the legs can swing outwardly, as shown in Figs. 2 and 9.

The legs are held in table top supporting position by cantilever springs l1. As shown, each of the cross members is provided with a notch l8 for receiving the free end of one of the canti- ITO leyer spring members ll adjacent thereto. The fixed .ends .of the cantilever spring members are attached .to a block 2.! which is firmly .attached to .the under side of .thetable top 11. Each spring member is attached to block ,2] by means of .releasablesorews 22. ,Screws 22 pass through slots .23 (see Fig. 3-) in the springs. When the screws are released, the spring members can be moved toward .or .away from each other. .As shown in l, the spring members .are in alignment and .adjaoentends thereofare closely spaced, so that, when one or both of the spring members is released, a screw driver blade can be inserted .between the spring members .and turned to .drive them apart .to proper position. When the spring members are properly positioned, screw 22 may be tightened to hold the spring members firmly in place.

As shown in Fig. 2, the free end of each spring is adapted to engage the notch of the adjacent cross member Hi to hold the assembly of cross member and legs carried thereby in upright position. When each assembly is in upright position, the cross member thereof bears against border flange l 3 to prevent swinging of the leg members away from beneath the table top, as already pointed out. The springs are adjusted so that, when the cross members are firmly in engagement with flange l3, the ends of the springs engage outer walls 23 of the notches.

The spring members and the cross member may be formed of wood. As thewood wears with use, the springs may be periodically adjusted so that, notwithstanding wear of springs and cross members, the legs can at all times be held firmly in upright position.

When the leg members are to be folded fiat, each spring is raised to the position indicated in dot-dash lines at Ila in Fig. 2, whereupon each cross member and leg assembly can be swung to the position indicated at l2a in Fig. 2. In this position the spring rests on the face 23' (Fig. 4) of the cross member. When each leg assembly is further swung toward the table top, the spring associated therewith urges the leg assembly to the position shown in Fig. 1, in which the leg members and the cross member are flatwise against the table top and the spring bears on face 24 (Fig. 4) of the cross member.

As shown in the drawing, the leg members and cross members are so formed, that, when folded flat, as indicated in Fig. 1, the leg members and cross members are inside peripheral flange [3. Each cross member is spaced from one of the sides of the table by a block 25 so that the legs are ofiset from each other and rest against the under side of the table top I l.

The table and a plurality of other similar tables may be stored in a cabinet 26. Cabinet 26 includes a storage space 28 having side walls 29, a back wall 3|, and front doors 32. The top and bottom Walls of cabinet 26 are formed by corrugated members, each of which includes spacer blocks 30 between which are formed grooves 36. The grooves of the upper corrugated member are directly above the grooves of the lower corrugated member to form pairs of grooves or slide ways for receiving the tables. Each table is slid into place in one of the pairs of grooves of the cabinet so that a plurality of tables can be stored in the cabinet in side by side relationship.

The tables and cabinet described above and illustrated in the drawing are subject to structural modification without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A folding table which comprises a substantially rectangular table top, spaced U-shaped leg units hinged to the underside of the table top at opposite ends thereof, each leg unit comprising a cross member and a leg member attached to each end of the cross member, a downwardly projecting flange on the underside of the table top adjacent to each cross member, each leg unit being swingable between a raised position in which the legs are substantially perpendicular to the table top and the cross member engages the flange adjacent thereto and a lowered position in which the legs are fiatwise against the underside of the table top,

there being a spring-receiving seat on the cross member of each leg unit, a pair of aligned cantilever leaf springs, means for releasably attaching the springs to the underside of the table top be tween the cross members and extending at right angles to the cross members, the free ends of the springs engaging the spring-receiving seats of the cross members when in table top supporting position withthe free ends of the springs in engagement with the seats to lock the leg units in that position and against the flanges, the attached ends of the springs being closely spaced, whereby, when the springs are released, a tool can be inserted between the closely spaced ends of the springs to urge the springs apart and to a position where the free ends of the springs firmly engage the seats to hold the cross members of the leg units firmly against the fianges.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 258,509 Van Duzee May 23, 1882 326,260 Allen Sept. 15, 1885 3 10,08? Birchard Apr. 20, 1886 711,562 Garben Oct. 21, 1902 1,271,641 Werwath July 9, 1918 1,890,986 Hanley Dec. 13, 1932 2,054,098 Rich Sept. 15, 1936 2,521,547 Simon Sept. 5, 1950 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Mechanics, pp. 184-185, April 1952. 

